Record changing mechanism for phonographs



March 13, 1945. T. w. SMALL RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 5, 1959 4 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fi/a/ ms n4 5/1/744.

W A RNEYJ.

March 13, 1945. T. w. SMALL 2,371,361

RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

A ORNEYJ.

March 13, 1945. T, w, M LL 2,371,361

RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 "PIE|. 5 w

INVENTOR. 771mm; 14 6/1524.

March 13, 1945. w M L 2,371,361

RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [IINII 1 VII/1111A 1/11 III/ II II -III\' II L' A. /0 37 Q 1l|||| ill!lIIIlllllllIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIII::::IIIIII 42 38 mm 1=1q. 10 W15. 11 11|1f12 -P1q. 13

INVENTOR.

7900/75 14 -5IV/7LL.

Patented Mar. 13, 1945 RECORD CHANGING MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Thomas Small, FortWayne, Ind.: Anna M.

S mall, exeeutrix of said Thomas W. Small, de-

ceased,

Farnsworth Television Fort Wayne, lnd., a corporation Delaware Application October 5, 1939, Serial No. 298,092

17 Claims. (Cl. 274-) This invention relates to an automatic record changer for disk record phonographs wherein the stack of records is'supported above the turntable, the lowermost record of the stack being relemd to drop by gravity upon the turntable i'or reproduction.

The principal object of the invention is to enable a selective record changing mechanism to be produced with a minimum of working parts so as to be capable of economical production and take up little space in the phonograph. Thus, the invention is primarily directed toward improving upon record changers of this type in the direction of simplified mechanism.

One feature of the invention resides in the simplified adjustable record support for groups of is accomplished by an extension 01' the centering pin so as to provide an eccentric portion, coupled with means for lowering one of the supports to permit the center hole of the lowermost record to be engaged by the eccentric portion, which, in its rotary movement, will slide the record first in one direction and then the other to release its opposite supported sides alternately.

Another feature of the invention resides in the curved formation of the center pin extension which imparts frictional resistance to the dropping of the record thereover, as well as imparts an eccentric movement thereto so that it will fall easily upon the turntable or preceding records.

A further and important, feature of the invention resides in a new and novel trip mechanism for initiating the record changing cycle upon the reproducer moving inward with a spiral groove or oscillat ng by engagement with an eccentric groove. This is accomplished by a pair of interacting contacts for closing a circuitthrough a tripping solenoid, one of said contacts being mounted on the end of a hook movable with the tonearm while the other contact is on a freely moving pivoted arm carried within the hook. Thus, when the tone arm is moved inwardly by a spiral groove, it engages the arm and moves it into contact with the end of the hook. When the tone arm is given a reverse movement by an eccentric groove, it moves the hooked end thereof backwards to engage the contact on the arm.

The roll nature or the invention will'be undertatably supported at the proper height upon a anignor, by meane' assignments, to

& Radio Corporation,

stood from the accompanying drawings and the following decsription and claims: a

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the record changer with the unplayed records removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing a group oi! records supported over the turntable, and on the turntable in playing position. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the record changer. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view showing the underside thereof. Fig. 5 is a partial view showing a side elevation of the record supports for twelve inch records. Figs. 6 and 7 are illustrative figures showing the various positions of the record when released. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of portions of the actuating mechanism showing them in position during the playing of a record. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of portions of the actuating mechanism during the playing of a record. Fig. 10 is a view of the record trip arms when in record changing position. Fig. 11 is the same as Fig.10 in record playing position. Fig. 12 is the same as Fig. 11 upon reverse movement of the tone arm by an eccentric record groove. Fig. 13 shows the position of the arms when actuated by a spiral lead-in groove in the record. Fig. 14 is a wiring diagram showing the circuits and switches.

In the drawings there is shown a record changing and reproducing mechanism including a base plate Ill supporting a horizontally rotatable turntable II carrying one or more records I! thereon, the uppermost record of the group carried by the turntable being positioned for reproduction. The unplayed records l2 are supported in a stack or group immediately above the turntable and spaced therefrom in position for release of the lowermost record for permitting it to drop by gravity into playing position on the turntable. Associated with the turntable there is the usual reproducer i3 mounted on the end of .the tone arm l4.

The unplayed records l2 are centered in stacked formation above the turntable by an overhead centering pin it carried by a swinging arm l6 pivoted at its supported and upon an upright standard l'| extending upwardly from the base plate I0.

With the unplayed group of records I2 positioned by the pin it, their. opposed peripheral edges are supported by the plates 18a and I90, provided said records are of the ten inch size. It said records are of the twelve inch size, they are supported by the plates I so and iilb, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The plates I81: and Nb are integral, being ropost 20 slidabie and rotatable within a tubular standard 2 I, said standard being supported upon the base plate 80. The post 29, being both slidably and rotatably mounted in the standard, is held in its lower position by a spring 22 and is provided with oppositely-extending lugs 23 at its upper end which are sea-table in the notches 24 of the standard. Thus, said supporting plates may be turned to any desired 90 degree angle and locked in position. When positioned to support ten inch records, said plates are rotated and locked in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When supporting twelve inch records, said Plates are rotated 90 degrees and locked in the opposite position, as shown in Fig. 5.

The plates I91! and I9!) are correspondingly adjustable for accommodating either size of records. For this purpose the plate He is horizontally pivoted between the uprights of standard I! upon a horizontally extending rod 25 supported by the brackets 28 carried by the shafts 21. Thus, supporting plate l9a may be swung to a lower position for supporting ten inch records, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or swung upwardly to a vertical position out of the way, so as to expose the plate l9b which is positioned for supporting twelve inch records, as shown in Fig. 5. Plate |9b is supported directly upon the shafts 21 which are slidable with and guided by a cross head 28 within the standard [1. Said shafts with the supporting plates carried thereby are normally maintained in uppermost position under tension of the springs 29, in which position they support the unplayed records free of the recordreleasing member, as hereinafter described.

The lower ends of said shafts 21 slidably extend through the base plate l and have their lower ends connected below said plate to a cross bar 30 which has its upper surface engaged by one end of a pivoted lever 3| (Figs. 3 and 4) Said lever is pivotally supported by a suitable bracket 32 depending from the underside of the base plate III. The opposite end of said lever is positioned to be engaged and actuated by the master earn, as hereinafter described, for pressing the bar 30 downwardly against the tension of springs 29 to lower the supporting plates I91: and I9?) when the bottom record is to be released.

The centering pin portion 33 of the turntable is horizontally displaced (Fig. 2) to the left of pin l and extends upwardly in the usual cylindrical form to the height at which the played records may accumulate upon the turntable. However, said pin is prolonged in curved formation to provide a hook-like camming portion 34 terminating in a head 35 the vertical axis of which is horizontally displaced with respect to that of portion 33. As illustrated in Fig. 2, head 35 lies to one side of and immediately below the periphery of the overhead centering pin l5. Thus, the head 35 rotates with the turntable through a circular path transverse of the center hole of the lowermost unplayed record and eccentrically of the axial center of pin I 5.

The unplayed records I2 are normally carried by their supporting plates in a plane above the head 35 so as not to be engaged thereby. But when the plates I911, I917 are lowered by the action of the lever 3|, the lowermost record of the group drops to a position where its: center hole is engaged by the head 35. The eccentric movement of said head engaging with the record will slide it first to the left (Fig. 2), so that its right-hand edge will disengage the supporting plates l9a or I9b. Its left-hand edge will still be supported by the plates I80. or I812 until the right-hand side drops down on the more extensively curved camming portion 34 which will act to throw the record to the right for disengaging its left-hand edge from said last-mentioned plates. The record then continues to oscillate by its engagement with the curved portion 34 and to move downwardly, but restrained by the friction resulting from the said curved portion, until it reaches the centering pin portion 33, whereupon said record will be properly centered in playing position. This movement is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

For driving the record changing mechanism, there is provided the usual electric motor 36 having a drive shaft 31 carrying a spur gear 38 adapted to mesh with a cam driving gear 39. Shaft 31 has a direct drive connection with the turntable and centering pin 33. At one point in the periphery of the cam gear 39 the teeth are removed, as shown in Fig. 8. Said cam ear 39 is formed about the periphery of the cam member 49 suspended upon a shaft 4| extending downwardly from the underside of the base plate 19. The motor 36 is similarly supported from the underside of the base plate in by the hangers 42.

The motor shaft 31 immeditaely above the gear 38 is provided with a radially-extending pin 43 adapted to engage a finger 44 pivotally mounted on the hub portion of the gear 39, so that when in one position it will be engaged by pin 43 and when in another position it will be raised above said pin so as to be cleared. Said finger extends into position to be engaged by said pin adjacent that portion of the gear 39 indicated at 45 which is mutilated so as to have no interengagement with the gear 38. By means of this arrangement, and wherein the shaft 31 and pin 43 are continuously rotating with the gear 38, when the finger 44 is elevated about its pivotal mounting out of the path of the rotating pin 43, there will be no driving engagement between the spur gear and the cam gear. In this position the cam gear remains at rest so that the record changing mechanism will not be operated whilea record is being reproduced through the rotation of the turntable driven by shaft 31.

Said finger 44 has its opposite end engaged by a bell crank lever 46 pivoted to the underside of the plate ID at 41, which lever is actuated by a solenoid 48. With said bell crank lever 46 in normal position, the adjacent end of finger 44 is engaged thereunder so that the other end is held above the path of the pin 43, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Upon actuation of said solenoid by the trip mechanism, the bell crank 45 will be withdrawn from finger 44, whereupon it will drop into position to be struck by the pin 43. When pin 43 strikes said finger, it partiall rotates the cam gear 39 suflicient to cause its teeth to mesh with those of the gear 38. Thereupon the gear 39 and cam 40 will be rotated one revolution, during which rotation the finger 44 engages with a depending cam track 49 fixed to the underside of the base plate It), as shown in Fig. 9. As it passes under said can! track 49, its opposite end is raised and in that position it leaves cam track 49, but is simultaneously engaged under bell crank lever 46 which continues'to hold its raised end out of the path of pin 43 until the solenoid 49 again retracts the bell crank lever 46. With said finger 44 thus held out of the path of pin 43, and at that point the cam gear 39being By means of the above arrangement a simple mechanism is utilized for driving the cam 49 a single revolution upon energizing the solenoid 48 for actuating the record changing mechanism, said cam and mechanism automatically coming to rest upon the completion of the cycle for permitting free rotation of the turntable and reproduction of the record until the solenoid is again energized upon the record being completed.

From the above it will be. noted that the cam 49 will be driven one revolution upon actuation of the solenoid 48 and upon. completion of the single revolution will come to rest. The cam 49 acts to first elevate the tone arm l4 to lift the reproducer l3 from the record, swing the tone arm clear of the record, and then lower the record supporting plates l9a, l9b to cause the lowermost record to become engaged by the head 35 for releasing it to drop into playing position. Thereupon the reproducer is returned to overlie the start of the record and is lowered thereon. The cam then comes to rest to permit reproduction of the record in the usual way untilthe reproducer reaches the end of the record where it will cause the solenoid 48 to be energized for again initiating the cycle of movement of said cam.

The first action caused by the cam when it starts to revolve is eifected by the cam surface 50 extending downwardly withwhich a roller engages and over which it-rides during the rotation thereof. The roller 5| is mounted on a lever 52 pivotally supported intermediate its ends at 53 by 9. depending ear extending downwardly from the base plate Ill. The opposite end of the lever from the roller supports a tone arm raising pin 54 vertically slidable in a suitable guide on the base plate so that when elevated by the lever, it engages the underside of the tone arm 14 and raises it free of the record being reproduced. The tone arm is pivotally mounted for such movement at 55 on a standard 56 supported from the top of the base plate It). The weight of the tone arm maintains the roller 5| in contact with the cam surface 59 and permits'lowering of the reproducer into playing position when the cam allows the roller 5| to be raised under the tone armgweight. v

The next movement is to swing the tone arm free of the record. For this purpose there is provided a bell crank lever 51 fulcrumed. upon a stud 58 depending from the base plate "I. The free end of the lever engages an ear 59 secured to a. shaft 60 extending vertically upwardly and rotatably supported within the standard 56, said shaft being secured at its upper end to the tone arm. The actuated end of the lever 51 is engaged by a cam surface 5| during rotation of the cam 48, forcing the engaged end of the lever outwardly and the engaging end of the lever inwardly against the ear 59 for rotating the shaft 60 to swing the reproducer away from the record.

' This movement swings the opposite end of the ear 59 against the free end of a pivoted arm 52 pivoted at 63 to the underside of the plate l0. Said arm is therebymoved against the tension of a spring 64 having one end connected to the arm and the other end anchored to a plate 65. Thus, the tone arm is swung outwardly by the action of the cam BI and is swung inwardly by the spring 64 as the cam permits.

The tone arm may be adjusted to operate on either ten or twelve inch records by the manually operated knob 86 which maybe turned within a bearing sleeve 9'! and carries a shaft 58 at its lower end which is oblong in cross section. The

arm 81 bears against shaft 88 so that it is positioned thereby to limit the inward swinging movement of the tone arm. Shaft 88 is so formed and positioned that when it is turned so that its narrow edge is engaged by arm 62, the tone arm of the reproducer will be swung back to position it for a twelve inch record. When the knob 66 isturned so as to present the broad side of said shaft 98 to the arm 62, the spring'64 will move said arm inwardly a slightly greater distance, which in turn will swing the reproducer inwardly toset it for a ten inch record.

After the tone arm has been thus swung clear of the record, a new record is released to drop into playing position on top of the turntable or reproduced record. As above described, the bottom record is released by lowering the plates 19a, 19b until the lower record is engaged by the head 35. This lowering movement is effected by the lever 3| engaging the cross bar 39 and forcing it downwardly. To do this, the opposite end of lever 3| is engaged and elevated by an upwardlyextending cam surface 89. Thus, after the cam member 40 is rotated sufllciently to cause the tone arm to be swung out of position, the cam surface 59 passes under the end of lever 3| to raise it and force the cross bar 30 downwardly to lower the records I2 and permit the lowermost record to be engaged by the head 35. Immediately uponsuch engagement, said lever is released so that the springs 29 return the supporting plates to normal position so that the remaining records will be supported free of the head 35.

For tripping the mechanism at the end of the record by energizing solenoid 48, there is provided a pair of contact members 10 and 1|. When said members move into electric contact, they close the circuit through the solenoid 48. Member 10 is supported by an arm 12 secured to shaft 50 of the tone arm so as to swing therewith. The member II is mounted upon an arm 13 freely pivoted to swing in the same plane as arm 12. Arm 12 carries an adjustable plate 14 in position to engage arm 19. Said arm 13 normally extends between the plate 14 and the contact 10 of the arm 12 so as to be embraced therebetween, as well as normally spaced therefrom. The radial length of arm 19 with respect to its pivotal mounting is substantially less than that of arm 12, whereby the contact II will travel through an arc of less radius than contact ID. This arrangement causes them to move toward and away from each other in a substantially radial direction during the course of their swinging movement.

In Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, the different positions of the contacts are illustrated. Looking upwardly from the underside, in Fig. 10, the arm 12 is shown swung away from the center of the turntable by the tone arm to its maximum outward position. The contact 10 is in engagement with the end of the insulated arm 13 and out of contact with contact ll. As the arm is moved inwardly during the playing of the record, as shown in Fig. 11, arm 13 is disengaged by contact 19, but is pushed by plate 14. As their relative swinging movement continues, contact II moves toward alignment with contact 19. Toward the end of the record, as shown in Fig. 12, the contacts are in alignment, but are still out of contact. However, if the needle runs into an eccentric groove, the swinging movement of arm 12 will be reversed so that contact 19 will be moved into engagement with contact II to energize the solenoid.

. be energized through the reverse movement or the tone arm by an eccentric groove (Fig. 12) or by the extreme inward movement of the tone arm by a spiral groove (Fig. 13).

As shown in Fig. 14 an anti-chatter switch 75 is in series with contacts 10, 1|. Said switch I! is actuated by the short arm of bell crank lever 46 so that when said lever is in normal position for retaining the finger 44 out of the path of pin 3, said switch is closed so as to complete the circuit through the solenoid upon contact of the trip It, ll. But immediately upon the solenoid being energized by the trip, switch 15 is opened by said bell crank lever so that the circuit will be broken and thereby prevent chattering of the solenoid while the tone arm is being swung outwardly. For this purpose the released end of finger 44 engages the inner curved edge of lever 46 to hold it against the tension of spring 16 and thereby hold switch 15 open until the lever is disengaged by the continued movement of the finger. Thereafter spring 16 returns the bell crank lever to normal position to again engage finger 44 when it rides under cam 49, as well as permit switch 15 The motor 36 is in circuit with a hand-controlled snap switch 18 and also a hold-in switch 19 in parallel therewith. The hold-in switch is normally closed but is opened by the cam surface 80 when the cam member 40 reaches the position wherein the tone arm is swung to its outermost position. Thus, when it is desired to stop the machine and discontinue its operation, the switch 18 may be moved to off position so as to break the circuit therethrough. However, the circuit through the motor will continue to be closed by the normally closed hold-in switch 19 until the tone arm is swung to its outer position, whereupon cam 80 will open said switch and break the circuit to motor 36 until the motor switch 18 is again moved to on position.

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic record changer for a phonograph having a, turntable, a pair of spaced supports for supporting a group of records at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, means for rotating the turntable, means rotatable with the turntable in eccentric relation to the central opening of the lowermost supported record and engageable with the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record adapted to slide it laterally first in one direction to free itirom one of said supports and then the other to free it from the other of said supports, and means driven by said turntable rotating means operable to lower one of said supports to bring the said lowermost record into position to be engaged by said rotatable means.

2. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, an overhead support comprising a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records are supported at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, a, member eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis of said group of records and extending upwardly from the turntable in position to be engaged by the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record, means for rotating said turntable and member, and means actuated by said turntable driving means and associated with said support operable to move said lowermost; record of the group into position to cause the wall of the central opening therein to be engaged by said member, whereby said rotating member will act to shift said engaged record laterally to free it from said support.

3. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, a support comprising a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records are supported at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, a, centering pin for said records extending upwardly from and rotatable with said turntable, means for rotating said turntable and pin, an extension on said centering pin having a portion eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis of the central opening of the lowermost record, said portion rotating with the turntable immediately below the lowermost record, and means actuated by said turntable rotating means and associated with one of said members operable to move said lowermost record into position to bring the wall of the central opening thereof into engagement with said eccentric portion, whereby said record will be engaged and shifted laterally thereby to free it from said support.

4. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, a support comprisi a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records are supported at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, a centering pin extending upwardly from and rotatable with said turntable, means for rotating said turntable and pin, an angular extension on said centering pin terminating in a head immediately below the central opening of the lowermost record, said head being carried by said extension eccentric of the axis of the central opening of the lowermost record, and means actuated by said turntable driving means and associated with one of said members operable to lower the lowermost record to permit the wall of its central opening to be engaged by said head and moved laterally thereby out of supporting engagement with one of said members and permit it to drop onto the angular portion of said extension, said extension being so formed as to move it laterally by its rotary movement in the opposite direction to free it from the other supporting member.

5. An automatic'record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, means adapted to support a group of records above said turntable, record shifting means for rotating said turntable, means rotatable with the turntable extending in' alignment and engageable with the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record, and means associated with said supporting means actuated 'by said turntable rotating means operable to lower said record to permit the wall of its central opening to be engaged by said shifting means, said shifting means comprising a portion disposed eccentrically of the central opening of said lowermost record and operable to shift said record laterally free of said support.

6. An automatic record changer tor a phonograph including a turntable, means for supporttension being angled away from the axis of rotation intermediate the centering pin and head,

and mechanism actuated by said turntable rotating means and associated with said supporting means operable to lower the lowermost record to permit'it to be engaged by said head, whereby said record will be shifted laterally by said head free of said supporting means.

- 7. An automatic record changer for a phonograph'comprising a turntable, a pair orspaced supports upon which a group of records are supported at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, means for rotating. the turntable,

means'associated with said supports;- for centering said records in supported positionthereon, an upstanding'spindle rotatable with the turntable and displaced with respect .to said centering means, said spindle having its upper end terminating eccentrically of said centering means, and mechanism actuated by said tumtabie rotating means and associated with one oi' said supports operable to lower the lowermost record to permit the wall of its central opening to engage the. eccentric upper end of said spindle, whereby said-record will be shifted thereby to free it from said supports.

8. An automatic record changer for a phonograph comprising a turntable, a pair of spaced supports upon which a group of records are supported at their opposite peripheries above said turntable, means for rotating the turntable,

posite sides of its periphery above and in spaced relation to said turntable. means for rotating said turntable, a centerlns pin on-said turntable extending upwardly therefrom toward the central portion of said group of records, said centering pin having an angular extension thereon positioned to be'engaged by the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record of the group,

and means actuated by said turntable rotating means and associated with one of said members operableto drop t lowermostrecord into position for engagem t with said angular portion, whereby the rotation thereof with the turntable will oscillate said record to free it from said support 11. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, an overhead support comprising a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records is supported at the opposite sides of its periphery above and in spaced relation to said turntable, means for rotatingsaid turntable, a centering pin on said turntable extending upwardly therefrom and displaced with respect to the central opening in the lowermost record, said centering pin having an extension thereon positioned to register with the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record of the group, a reproducer for reproducing a record on the turntable, a trip mechanism actuated'by the reproducer upon completing said reproduction,

. and means actuated by said trip mechanism and k associated with one of said members operable to means associated with said supports adapted to center said records through their center hole, an upstanding spindle rotatable with the turntable and displaced with respect to said centering means, saidspindle having an intermediate portion curved out of alignment and its upper end eccentrically positioned relative to said centering means, and mechanism actuated by said turntable operating means operably connected to one of said supports for lowering it to present the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record to the upper end of said spindle, whereby .said record will be reciprocated thereby to free it from said supports.

9. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, an overhead support comprising a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records is supported at the opposite sides of its periphery above and in spaced relation to said turntable, means for rotating said turntable, a centering pin on said turntable extending upwardly therefrom and displaced with respect to the axis of the central opening in the lowermost record, said centering pin having an eccentric extension thereon positioned to be engaged by the wall of the central opening in the lowermost record of the group; and means actuated by said turntable rotating means and associated with one of said members operable to drop the lowermost record into engage'ment with said eccentric portion, whereby the rotation thereof with the turntable will shift said record laterally to free it from said support.

10. An automatic record changer for a phonograph including a turntable, an overhead support comprising a pair of spaced members upon which a group of records is supported at the op ,drop the lowermost record of the group into position for engagement by said eccentric portion, whereby the rotation thereof with the tumtable will shift said record laterally to free it from said support.

12. Anautomatic record changer aturntable, a support positioned relative tosaid turntable for supporting a group of records in spaced axial alignment thereabove, a centering pin fixed to said turntable to extend upwardly therefrom centrally of said records, said centering pin being provided with'a portion eccentrically disposed with respect to the central opening of the lowermost record, means for rotating said turntable, and means actuated by said turn table rotating means and associated with said support operable to drop the lowermost record of the group to a position for effecting engagement between the wall of its central opening and said eccentrically disposed portion, whereby said record will be shifted laterally thereby to release it from said support. v

13. A record changing apparatus comprising a rotatable turntable for receiving a record to be played; two diametrically opposite supports with respect to said turntable for supporting a stack ofrecords over said turntable by engaging portions of the peripheral edge of the lowermost supported record, one of said supports being adapted tobe moved; a member extending upwardly from and being rotatable with said turn 6 played; two diametrically opposite supports with respect to said turntable for supporting a stack of records over said turntable by engaging portions of the peripheral edge of the lowermost supported record, one 01' said supports being adapted to be moved; a member extending upwardly from and being rotatable with said turntable in eccentric relation to the centering aperture of the lowermost supported record; and means operatively connected to said movable support for lowering the wall of the centering aperture of said lowermost supported record into the path of said member whereby the rotation of said member oscillates said lowermost supported record free of said supports to permit said record to move into playing position on said turntable.

15. A record-changing apparatus comprising a rotatable turntable, a pair of spaced supports adapted to support a stack of records above said turntable by engaging peripheral edge portions or the lowermost supported record, one of said supports being movable, a member extending upwardly from and being rotatable with said turntable in eccentric relation to the centering aperture of the lowermost supported record, a pickup arm for cooperating with a record on said turntable, a tripping mechanism actuated by said pickup arm when said pickup arm reaches the tripping groove of a record on said turntable, and means operatively associated with said movable support and said tripping mechanism for being actuated when said pickup arm reaches the tripping groove of a record on said turntable for moving the wall of the centering aperture of the lowermost supported record into the path of said member whereby the rotation of said member disengages the lowermost supported record from said supports to permit said record to move into playing position upon said turntable.

16. A record changing apparatus comprising a rotatable turntable for receiving a record to be played; two diametrically opposite supports with respect to said turntable for supporting a stack of records over said turntable by engaging portions of the peripheral edge of the lowermost supported record, a record receiving and centering spindle extending upwardly from and rotatable with said turntable, said spindlevhaving an angularly extending camming portion formed thereon, and means operatively associated with one of said supports for dropping the wall of the centering aperture of said lowermost supported record into engagement with the camming portion of said spindle for causing said record to be shifted thereby laterally to disengage its supported peripheral edge from the other or said supports to permit said record to move into playing position on said turntable about said spindle.

17. A record-changing apparatus comprising a rotatable turntable for receiving a record to be played; two diametrically opposite supports with respect to said turntable for supporting a stack of records over said turntable by engaging portions of the peripheral edge of the lowermost supported record, a record centering spindle extending upwardly from and rotatable with said turntable, said spindle having an angulariy extending camming portion formed thereon termimating in a portion the path of rotation of which lies below and traverses the centering aperture of the lowermost record of the stack, and means operatively associated with one of said movable supports for dropping one side or said lowermost supported record to cause engagement by the wall of its centering aperture with the camming por- A tion of said spindle whereby said record will be shifted laterally thereby to disengage its supported edge from the other of said supports and permit said record to move into playing position on said turntable about said spindle.

THOMAS W. SMALL. 

